cw0909
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- Dec 24, 2006
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cool story, couple of excerpts from story
Theories about the origins of the treasures abound, with obscure explanations that involve Egyptian pharaohs and shifting tectonic plates. One popular theory is that during colonial times several Spanish galleons headed for the Atlantic Ocean with loads of precious metal from Bolivian mines sank in the River Paraguay. Others point to Jesuit colonizers in the 17th century.
But the most common belief, endorsed by prominent local historians like Alfredo Boccia Romañach, is that heirlooms including jewelry, watches and porcelain were buried by affluent families during their getaway from Asunción in 1868, when Paraguay lost a decisive battle to Brazilian-led forces and the government ordered an evacuation of the city. Historians say it is also quite likely that government reserves of precious metal were hidden by the wartime president, Mr. López.
The vast majority of these treasures, some of which were stuffed into wall cavities, were stolen when the enemy troops pillaged the city, Mr. Boccia Romañach said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/11/w...-treasure-keeps-paraguayans-digging.html?_r=0
Theories about the origins of the treasures abound, with obscure explanations that involve Egyptian pharaohs and shifting tectonic plates. One popular theory is that during colonial times several Spanish galleons headed for the Atlantic Ocean with loads of precious metal from Bolivian mines sank in the River Paraguay. Others point to Jesuit colonizers in the 17th century.
But the most common belief, endorsed by prominent local historians like Alfredo Boccia Romañach, is that heirlooms including jewelry, watches and porcelain were buried by affluent families during their getaway from Asunción in 1868, when Paraguay lost a decisive battle to Brazilian-led forces and the government ordered an evacuation of the city. Historians say it is also quite likely that government reserves of precious metal were hidden by the wartime president, Mr. López.
The vast majority of these treasures, some of which were stuffed into wall cavities, were stolen when the enemy troops pillaged the city, Mr. Boccia Romañach said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/11/w...-treasure-keeps-paraguayans-digging.html?_r=0
